Enrollment Policy

Effective July 18, 2019
The following Admission and Enrollment Policy will apply to admissions and enrollment as of the Effective Date of this Policy.

Diversity and Non-Discrimination
Destin High School (“DHS” or school) is committed to enrolling a diverse student population and shall abide by the provisions of the Florida Educational Equity Act and applicable Federal and Florida Statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, nationality and ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability or gender, including, but not limited to, Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. During the application process, DHS may request demographic information from Applicants, but responses to these inquiries must be voluntary. Copies of applications and registration forms will be made available in English and Spanish. Interpretation of the applications and registration forms into other native languages will be provided upon request.

Re-Enrollment for Current Students and Capacity Notice
Each school year, the total capacity and total enrollment of the school will be posted on its website. The capacity will be based on the Charter Contract for the school. Seats will be made available based on this Policy and Florida law.

The parents and guardians of students enrolled at the school for the previous school year will be asked to submit a Re-Enrollment Application indicating intent to re-enroll for the upcoming school year. The deadline for Re-Enrollment Applications will be established by the DHS Board, and this Re-Enrollment Deadline will be posted on the school’s website. Students whose Re-Enrollment Applications have been submitted by the Re-Enrollment Deadline will be automatically re-enrolled so long as they have maintained eligibility requirements. Students whose Re-Enrollment Applications are not submitted by the Re-Enrollment Deadline may lose their seat for the upcoming school year.
New Applicants and Controlled Open Enrollment for Out-of-County Applicants

Students who are new to the school must submit an Enrollment Application. Enrollment Applications will be available on the school’s website and at the school (or school office, when established). Enrollment Applications must be fully completed and submitted to the school during an Enrollment Period to be considered. Student applications must be submitted through the DHS Student Registration System on the school’s website.

Students from outside Okaloosa County are permitted to apply to the school so long as they are not subject to a current expulsion or suspension order. However, such Out-of-County Applicants will only be provided a seat after placement of all Okaloosa County Applicants. Once admitted to the school, Out-of-County Students will be permitted to matriculate up to the highest grade offered by the school so long as they maintain eligibility requirements.

Beginning and end dates for the Initial Enrollment Period will be established by the DHS Board and posted on the school’s website. At the end of the Initial Enrollment Period, parents and guardians will be notified of acceptance. In the event the number of Enrollment Applications for eligible students exceeds the capacity for a given grade level, class or building, the Lottery Process will be followed, as described below. If capacity is not reached for a grade level, class or building after the Initial Enrollment Period, the DHS Board will establish subsequent Enrollment Periods and post the dates on the school’s website, during which time DHS will accept additional Enrollment Applications and hold a lottery, if needed.

Lottery Process
DHS shall enroll an eligible student who submits an Enrollment Application during any enrollment period, unless the number of applications received during the applicable enrollment period exceeds the capacity of a class or grade level. In such cases, this Lottery Process will be followed.

First, Applicants with the following Enrollment Preferences will be selected, as permitted pursuant to the Charter Contract and CSP Grant Non-Regulatory Guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Education, for the period of time that DHS is receiving the CSP Grant: currently enrolled students; siblings of students already admitted to or attending DHS; and children of DHS’s founding board members, teachers, and staff (so long as the total number of students allowed under this exemption constitutes only a small percentage of the school’s total enrollment)

If the number of Enrollment Applicants with Enrollment Preferences exceeds the capacity of a grade level, class or building, a lottery will be held among Enrollment Applicants with preferences.

Second, a lottery will be held among the Okaloosa County Applicants for each grade level, class or building that exceeds capacity. If there are seats remaining, and the number of Out-of-County Applicants exceeds the capacity for a grade level, class or building, a separate lottery will be held for Out-of-County Applicants. Those Okaloosa County and Out-of-County Applicants not selected in a lottery will be included in subsequent lotteries, if seats become available. Such subsequent lotteries will be set at dates established by the DHS Board and posted on the school’s website. If there are any remaining applicants that are not selected in the lottery(ies), such applicants will be placed on the Okaloosa County Wait List (or Out-of-County Wait List, as applicable) in the order such Enrollment Applications were selected in the last lottery held. Students applying after the lottery will be placed on the Okaloosa County Wait List (or Out-of-County Wait List, as applicable) after students who were placed on the Wait List through the lottery. New Wait Lists will be created each year and Applicants on the Wait Lists will not be carried over from year-to-year.

Registration
Upon selection, the parent/guardian will receive registration instructions that include a detailed list of the documentation required by Okaloosa County Public Schools and timelines that must be followed. This notification will be provided electronically to the parent/guardian email included in the Enrollment Application. If documentation is not provided within the required timelines, the applicant’s seat will be forfeited and offered to another applicant.

Records
Copies of all Enrollment Applications and Wait Lists will be maintained by the school for the time periods required by law.